Each Past
by niconiconyx
Summary: I am known to the Pokemon universe as something unattainable to most- a legendary. My entire life has neither beginning or end, and I will be trapped for all of eternity on this planet. Like all my other siblings, I am made to serve a purpose. And that purpose of mine is to protect and guard the dreams of the slumbering creatures beneath me. (Full description in story!)
1. Prologue: I Cry Tears Of Cursed Blood

**Each Past**

 **Summary:**

I am known to the Pokemon universe as something unattainable to most- a legendary. My entire life has neither beginning or end, and I will be trapped for all of eternity on this planet.

Like all my other siblings, I am made to serve a purpose. And that purpose of mine is to protect and guard the dreams of the slumbering creatures beneath me. I'm forever above you, all of you. I am your guardian angel, have been and always will be.

I see everything that has troubled you- each and every one of you- I see your past. Your torments, your pains, your agony- I'm here to take on that burden for you. Maybe I'll present you with a happier illusion when you sleep. Maybe that will help you to rest.

It's all right. You won't need to feel pain in your sleep anymore. I'll be there, doing my best, and give you even the tiniest bit of happiness for that fragmented period of time.

And in exchange, I'll take every torment and every surge of pain you have. I know it slowly destroys myself every day. But I serve no other purpose; I am only a tool in this machine called the universe. I never die, never live, only feel pain each passing day, but somehow, I can still feel this word, known to you as "happiness"...

If I wish for it, hard enough... will it come true? Can I create a past for myself? Can my life have an end? Have I finished my purpose in life?

But- I need to save someone who's drowning in the deepest of nightmares yet, someone so lost that he has become the definition of "nightmare" himself.

And then, when we can finally slumber instead of protecting the slumber of our fellow Pokemon, and fall into an eternal world of peace and silence, can we wake up again?

And will I be able to hold your hand and smile for once?

༺ ༻

 _But still I felt so incomplete_ — _there is one more thing that's missing_

 _And it is something only you can give_ — _a special type of "magic"_

 _Now let's promise... ("Don't let go of my hand") "Won't you please stay here with me_ — _"_

•

Every Pokemon on this planet knows that we are separate beings, on a whole different level from them. We're Pokemon, yet we're so estranged and different from the common Pokemon you see in the wild every day.

We're nothing but mere creations of Arceus, born to serve a single purpose alone, so that this world can shine so brightly like a glittering star amidst the dark sky of this vast, never-ending universe. The concept of "life" to us is merely a detailed definition of it, yet we are foreign to the meaning itself. What _is_ our life, anyway?

A cycle, with no end or start, destined to spend our eternity toiling away for the good of the Pokemon. We're selfless, only giving, never asking for anything in return. We don't think of our jobs as punishments; instead, we find a distant blissful happiness in fulfilling the desires of those strange creatures called "Pokemon".

I don't think that's what life is.

We've trapped ourselves behind the eternal mask of a frozen smile, taking on the pain of the Pokemon we protect, every day wanting to die, but knowing that wish would never be fulfilled. This twisted agony is like a blazing knife twisting inside our artificial hearts, consuming us with a raging, blazing suffering that was unable to be quenched.

 _We were like dolls,_ I would sometimes muse. _Unable to do anything in this cruel world._

I see everything; I see all your pain and troubles, and I want to give you a glimpse of what "bliss" means.

I can see into the very depths of your consciousness—not for my own benefits, please understand— _I can see_ each and every spark of pain that the life has thrown at you.

I'm able to take your agony and turn it into the ideal world you could never have—I let you touch this ideal utopia in your dreams. So you can smile and face a new day with renewed confidence.

Don't mistake me for such an ethereal being, I beg of you—I wasn't like this before, after all.

I have no past—my story is nothing but an eternal blank canvas streaked with nothing but black splashed over it. How many years, decades or even _centuries_ had I even spent in that purgatory?

Floating, falling, floating, falling—like that of a newborn Fletchling finding its wings—it had become a part of my life, a part of _me_ as I stared into the void, hoping that one day colour would fill it.

And then, one day, a miracle happened— because I saw, across the black that now had turned into a murky, stained glass mirror— I saw a creature.

One that was exactly the same as me, but like all mirror images, we were complete opposites.

༺ ༻

 _There is nobody else who would do, it absolutely must be you_

 _And that's why, I beg you please_ — _Can you stay here 'til I fall asleep?_

•

 _My magenta eyes were the only things that shone amidst the pure darkness, glittering, with the faintest trace of hope that had long diminished from the once shining beacon that it had contained thousands of years ago. But something seemed different today._

 _Instead of the blank space stretching out around me, I saw the faintest outline of a shadowed figure directly across me, his ruby-coloured eyes lit up in a million shades of red._

 _Gasping, I rushed forward, a thousand thoughts and questions propelling me forward, like a whirlwind behind me that pushed me forward_ — _I had found my wings..._

 _As I reached out, I realised that he wasn't there_ — _only reflected in the clear, dark surface of a mirror that separated the two of us._

 _My wing brushed against the smooth glass, before I looked down, disappointed. "Only an illusion," I mumbled, forcing myself to rip my gaze away painfully from the reflection that kept staring at me with his unreadable red eyes._

 _I really_ _ **was**_ _going insane._

 _"I'm sorry, I'm sorry_ — _" I told myself over and over again, not knowing whether it was aimed at the shadowy creature in the mirror or at myself. "I don't want to let go, but_ — _"_

 _I was stopped as something wrapped around me with a sense of warmth and security. My pupils dilated in pure shock, and slowly, I turned around, to see the creature placing a shadowy hand on my wing, reaching through the mirror with a slight smile forming on his misty, spirit-like figure._

 _A spark ran through me, and this_ _ **mirror image**_ _I had imagined up in my mind had now become real._

 _"Do you want to go now? The Creator is waiting for us," he asked, resting his hand on my heart_ — _a gesture of warmth and comfort and reassurance. I could see a burst of light erupting from the mark that he had left, a thousand different colours shining on my heart._

 _"You touched my once monochrome heart and made it shine so colourful... but now, your world has been drained of all colour in exchange. But can we... can we meet again one more time, and hold each other just like this?"_

 _And then I nodded, and he smiled a final time before I entered the mirror, leaving the purgatory behind, marking out a new chapter of my life for myself._

༺ ༻

 _I want you to promise me_

 _That I will always be_

 _Within your memories_

•

And now, despite the countless number of Pokemon that I had saved from spiralling into despair, by granting their dreams and miracles, a punishment had to be doled out. A punishment that sent my saviour flying into the abyss of torment, where no dreams or happiness could reach him.

Every miracle turned into a curse, each wish became darkness, and all happiness became anguish. And the tears I cried, the tears he cried—

All of them were our tears of cursed blood, each miracle shining on me, each curse consuming his soul.

My mirror image had been thrown into a nightmare, becoming so lost in it that he had become nothing more than a nightmare himself.

•

 _'Cause if I close my eyes I'll be all alone; I only want to hear you say my name, so_

 _Until that time will come, just know_ —

 _I'm waiting for you..._

༺ ༻

 **:The song extract used in this chapter was Magical Mirror by Kagamine Rin (Vocaloid), and the lyrics by SirHamnet on YouTube.:**

 **This was originally from Wattpad; please check me out there YobanyxieDeceive! :3 I really need support for this book aHaha**

 **I hope you enjoyed the prologue! :) It may start off pretty boring, but hopefully, it'll get better. Don't forget to read, vote and comment if you liked it, critiques are extremely welcome, and now, with that, *salutes* Nyx out!**


	2. Chapter 1: Nightfall

༺ ༻

 _Smile._

 _A twisting, spinning whirl of colours_

 _Frown._

 _A lash, a dash of lightning fury_

 _Tears._

 _The slipping away of a long-faded memory_

 _Drown._

 _A chilling silence for all eternity_

༺ ༻

 _A stifling, ominous silence fell like a veil._

 _Surrounding the forest with a cloudy, dark haze, it remained, not a sound to be heard, the dim yet magical glow of the late moonlight illuminating the outlines of the thick forage in a cold white. The sight, no matter how enchanting it seemed at an innocuous first glance, hid a cruel, sinister darkness deep within._

 _Everything felt like time had stopped- not a breeze licked at the leaves of the trees and shrubs that lined the forest, the usual rustle of leaves was absent, every Pokemon absolutely still in a deep midnight-induced slumber._

 _Every Pokemon, that is, except one._

 _A sheen of sweat coated it in a thin, slick film, glistening under the soft lighting of the moon, despite the cool, still air that surrounded it. His hurried pants were silent, and under the matted, grimy fur were tired, aching muscles that heaved and begged for a break. His tense body was rigid and silent, save for the occasional twitch of his ears as he listened intently._

 _Then, narrow eyes glinting like black, merciless diamonds, two bright spots against the mane of black and blue fur that masked his face, he pounced._

 _Leaves started to rustle under his feet, and the eyes of the creatures nearby started to open, the screaming of the thought "run away" hidden by the thick fog of sleepiness. Stumbling to their feet, they formed a ragged defensive position, but the low rumble of their predator's growl was too near._

 _A few metres away, a young Sewaddle awakened, its beady eyes quickly widening with both the fear that pulsed through its paralysed body and the moisture of tears that had started to gather._

 _It was thankfully concealed by the shadow draped upon it by a drooping tree, but that disguise would not last for long._

 _Words bottled up in its throat, but the wall of fear prevented it from speaking. It gazed helplessly at the two Leavanny who were no match against the large Luxray's razor-sharp fangs, crimson blood spilling onto the ground in abstract patterns akin to that of an angsty artist, the disgusting stench of metallic liquid quickly snaking its way to the young Pokemon's nose._

 _It caught the gaze of his mother, her red eyes screaming a silent message: Run._

 _Blood was smeared over her face, several slash and bite wounds nearly dismembering her unrecognisable body. That image, the weak happiness in its mother's eyes, had carved a deep, unremovable scar into its mind that very night._

 _Tears streaming from the Sewaddle's eyes, he turned and ran into the night, tripping and stumbling over his stubby legs, but he had done as his mother had told. Behind him, there was a sickening crunch, followed by a limp thud to the ground._

 _Everything was still once more after that terrifying moment._

༺ ༻ _  
_

Cresselia

Far too young to have witnessed such a tragic scene with his very own eyes.

At least, that was _my_ verdict.

The Sewaddle could have only been about two. And on that night, it had been ruthlessly abandoned, cast aside because of a starving predator, with little to no chance of survival. His nights didn't free him from the traumatising memories; instead, images and scenes from that very flashback plagued his dreamland.

I closed my eyes, feeling a burst of white light surround me, the energy contrasting with the pitch black of the night sky. When I reopened them, the familiar forest scenery still surrounded me, but it had been replaced with a different forage that scattered out in different directions.

Quickly locating the young, scarred Pokemon, I flew down, translucent, crescent ribbons of wings absorbing in the moonlight that coated them in an enchanting, glittering glaze.

The Sewaddle was asleep, his eyes shut tightly and forcefully, and when I touched his face lightly, it was wet with a layer of cold, fearful sweat. Incomprehensible mutters and murmurs escaped his mouth, with the occasional scream that ripped through the cold night air.

I smiled, caressing his cheek gently just like a mother would. A pink and yellow flare surrounded the both of us, the patch of dying grass we stood on illuminated briefly. A feather, soft and silky, spiralled down and landed on the ground, next to the slumbering Pokemon. His face was serene now, the terrified, shock-ridden expression relaxed, and his breaths were steady.

 _At least you can rest at night._

 _Sweet dreams._ The phrase echoed through the area, and knowing that he would be able to hear that, my job was done.

Folding my wings, I concentrated, causing a hole to open up in the night sky, a glittering world of purple and pink blended together amidst the dull midnight blue. I glanced down at the now peaceful Sewaddle one more time, before escaping into my heavenly residence.

There was _nothing_ in it, other than the large, clear globe that revolved continuously, acting as my eyes into the world which I protected. It was silent, and the only thing surrounding me was the void of what seemed like an endless galaxy, stretching out forever and ever.

It may have been once beautiful, but it had grown repetitive in my eyes.

Groaning, I lay down as a tendril of black shadow seeped into the once clear and gleaming magenta gem that rested on my forehead. I had long given up on counting the number of dreams I had salvaged from the murky world of nightmares that my brother controlled.

 _Darkrai..._

I pushed that thought aside abruptly. A shudder flew threw my body like an electric shockwave, the twinge of pain striking at my heart in a sharp, quick motion. I winced, but otherwise, I was already numb from the thousands of years I had carried out the exact actions.

The gem on my forehead carried all the curses and darkness of all the Pokemon I had saved before, and as much as it trapped and bound me to this fate; this agony of a dark, painful eternity, I didn't mind it. I liked my job. Arceus created me solely for this, and I wasn't able to do anything else. It did hurt to absorb the pain and despair of thousands of Pokemon, but I would still be alive after the whole ordeal.

Technically, I wasn't alive— immortals like me had no beginning, no end, no past or future— but I would never die, after all.

༺ ༻

Through the clear globe that spun steadily, I saw the first rays of early dawn light leaking through and swallowing up the night, the hum of music spilling forth from flocks of Starly, and the sun slowly rising to take its position in the sky. My job was over for today.

Rightfully, I should have rested. I should have slept until the day was over, and then emerge once more to guard the dreams of Pokemon against their nightmares of pasts. But something stopped the world of sleep from overwhelming my tired mind.

༺ ༻

 _"Do you want to go now? The Creator is waiting for us," he asked, resting his hand on my heart- a gesture of warmth and comfort and reassurement. I could see a burst of light erupting from the mark that he had left, a thousand different colours shining on my heart._

 _"You touched my once monochrome heart and made it shine so colourful... but now, your world has been drained of all colour in exchange. But can we... can we meet again one more time, and hold each other just like this?"_

 _And then I nodded, and he smiled a final time before I entered the mirror, leaving the purgatory behind, marking out a new chapter of my life for myself._

༺ ༻ _  
_

That memory felt like a dream, but it wasn't surrounded with the mist-like haziness of that ethereal quality. It was clear as crystal, each image and sentence still haunting the back of my mind. Was it a punishment to me for turning him into the unrecognisable darkness he now was—a reminder of the permanent guilt?

༺ ༻

 _When was the last time he smiled...?_

My energy had been depleted from saving that Sewaddle, and it would do nothing but harm and destruction to my tired body if I tried to enter another Pokemon's world right now. But—maybe it was the pressing desire to see him again?—I still _had_ to do it.

I tried.

But in the end, I had still failed.

The pulse of magenta energy had still flared up around me, a wave so bright and powerful I had almost lost control of the magic for a short moment. It was blinding; more powerful than any of my previous attempts for sure. A glimpse of hope raced through my mind for a moment— maybe it would work this time.

But then, the aura dissipated, and I fell back down, exhausted, a buzzing, light-headed feeling causing my head to pound in agony. The energy darkened into a murky grey before slowly fading away. Dreams and nightmares would _never_ be able to connect together, no matter how similar they were.

Likewise—a bearer and guardian of the magic that dreams brought could never enter the vast wasteland of nightmares.

 _I'm sorry..._

༺ ༻ _  
_

 _I detect a strange presence in the island._

Fullmoon Island was what they called it. The large piece of land that stretched out beyond the eye could see, decorated with only the shards and caves that rocks had formed over the years. It was always dark, always midnight, with the glimmering fullmoon hanging high up above the island.

It would never be a crescent moon. After all, that's how they had named the island— after the permanent form that it had taken.

Science didn't take well to me— I knew what a crescent was, and that the moon would have taken on that specific shape at certain times of the year, but I couldn't explain the strange phenomenon that shrouded my home all year long. And, honestly, it didn't impact me in the slightest— I had never bothered to find out why this was so.

 _After all, if Arceus created the world, this simple trick would have been nothing to him._

I raised my swanlike head, looking at the dusky sky. At first glance, it was just a bland canvas of midnight blue, but if one looked closer, they could see the million hues that blended together to form that one seemingly solitary shade; huge stars that looked minuscule from their positions in the galaxy illuminating the sky.

I felt a few auras numb the gem on my forehead for a few moments, and the sound of muffled footsteps echoed on the bleak land behind me. The scent of woven fabrics and humans were unmistakable.

I didn't recognise these humans— they stared up at me with a mixture of awe and fear— but I sensed no evil intention in their eyes. They seemed harmless enough, but I could tell that something had happened from the dark bags under their eyes. A grim, ominous feeling caused my heart to sink.

 _Darkrai's been at it again, hasn't he?_

"C—Cresselia!" The tallest of the group spoke up, but he wasn't intimidating in the slightest way. His voice wavered in nervousness. "We're ve—very sorry to disturb you, but we need your help... please..." His voice died down to nothing more than a whisper. "Even a Lunar Wing would be enough to keep away the nightmares..."

I didn't know why they were so scared, but I had no choice but to agree. It was my destiny, after all- the one Arceus had planned out for me.

Lunar Wings were just a temporary solution. They wouldn't keep the nightmares away forever— Darkrai would grow stronger; the feathers would lose their colour and grow useless.

No, this was something I had to deal with myself.

I bowed my head in agreement, and the humans offered me grateful smiles in return. "Thank you, Cresselia," the same boy spoke again in the same polite tone. Rising upwards into the air, I shook myself gently, and four Lunar Wings fell down and landed in their hands.

Clutching them tightly, they smiled once again despite their exhausted expressions, before walking away. My eyes followed them, making sure they were safe, until their figures had diminished into tiny silhouettes in the far distance before disappearing altogether. Then, I turned around, faced with nothing but the dark night.

 _Come out,_ I hissed, using a more forceful tone than I usually would. _I know you were there the whole time... Darkrai._

༺ ༻ _  
_

:P I hope you enjoyed!

Read, vote and comment as always, critiques are extremely welcome and now *salutes* Nyx out! :)


	3. Chapter 2: Fullmoon

༺ ༻

 _A lonely place of heavenly residence._

A place where we disappear to once our work is done.

 _Where no one ever comes._

There's the occasional human sometimes, but no Pokemon has ever come.

 _Only once a year- or when he's causing trouble-_

-It's when I get to see my brother again.

༺ ༻

 **Cresselia**

Not a single noise awaited me, the only sound reaching my ears being a lonely wave of silence.

The shadow that fell over the rocky surfaces in dappled waves seemed to grow deeper and larger. I felt a pair of piercing red eyes that stabbed through my soul, filled with nothing but contempt. Instinctively, I was on guard, ready for a surprise attack that might have had hit me.

Then, still shrouded in his comforting veil of deafening silence, Darkrai— or Shadow, as Arceus sometimes called him— emerged. He didn't have a physical manifestation of his body unlike me; instead, he was a mass of dark tendrils of what seemed like smoky mist— each tendril born out of the curses and nightmares that he carried and soaked in.

I didn't have the strength to look him in the eye. I simply _couldn't._ This wasn't right at all— he wasn't supposed to bear these agonising punishments alone. The nightmares and curses that _I_ had taken away from these slumbering Pokemon.

Every blessing really was a curse in disguise— and I couldn't do anything to help it. He had been cursed from the very beginning when he had chosen to help me.

Chosen to make my life colourful instead of his.

 _You stirred up trouble again, I see._ As usual, there was no reply from the Pokemon opposite me. _When are you going to stop doing this? You're only hurting yourself._ Finally, the shadowy Pokemon— the guardian of nightmares— spoke up, his voice cold and harsh.

 _I will win tonight,_ he said. _I don't care if you were once my sister. You were never a sister to me in my eyes._

That sentence was said so smoothly, so smoothly that the knife twisting inside my heart was much sharper than it would have ever been. _I will_ **win.** His dark eyes widened in a crazed expression, made up of so many hues of blood red, with the iris being a pale, red over, seeing nothing but the intent to kill.

 _You_ — _you've..._ I trailed off, slightly fearful at the bloodthirsty look in his eyes, driven by the intent to kill me and to win. To prove his strength, and to show that he was the stronger one. _You've changed since we first met_ —

I cut myself off, the sentence sliding to a halt as I inspected his eyes closely. Behind the clear intention of destroying me in those pupils, there was a shroud of red fog that blinded him even further to his surroundings. Realisation struck me as I knew what was happening.

He still didn't remember.

After an eternity of bearing the weight of curses and nightmares that other Pokemon inflicted on him, it was only natural for him to possess the greatest curse of all.

The curse that caused him to forget the angel he once was.

But still, enduring the torture for so long, and being able to keep going... _You really were the stronger one out of the both of us all along, weren't you?_

Darkrai stared at me with the same empty expression as he always did. Then, a spark of indigo lit up in his semi-solid arms, quickly growing to the size of a deadly Shadow Ball. His gaze darkened, and his voice distorted in ferocious anticipation as he spoke. _We have talked more than enough. I came here to fight; do not waste my time now._

 _As_ — _as you said,_ I muttered back, ducking to avoid the huge sphere of energy that had been flung at me without a trace of warning. I missed the most fatal part, at least— the attack's core—but the darkness grazed my wings, causing a jolt of sharp pain to course through me, stopping after a few moments.

Darkrai had certainly improved in the years that we had been apart. For _regular_ humans and Pokemon, that was a long time, given their life span stretching over only a few decades. But for us, the legendaries, the _rulers_ who ensured order in the world, we didn't have an accurate sense of time. We lived forever—years were simply days or even a matter of hours to us.

I regained my balance, ignoring the dull pain, and prepared a Moonblast, knowing that none of my normal Psychic attacks would work on it. It worked—Darkrai had seemingly made an error in predicting when my move would land, and he was blasted several feet away, unmoving.

Pushing aside the small smile that had started to slide onto my face, I remained tense, energy bristling at the tip of my wings, ready to attack at once. _It's not that easy beating him. It's never that easy._

I was right as a wave of inky shadow slammed into my side, and for a moment, pure blinding white flashed in front of my eyes as agony racked my body. Each cell in my body trembled in utter pain. Raising my head, I stared at the creature that had risen in front of me. _He's hardly injured. But..._

 _You've been training in minimising the damage taken from super-effective moves,_ I murmured in my mind, and the haughty, ice-cold look in his flaming eyes spoke in agreement. _I was fooled by your acting. Good job._

Using his own tactic, I pretended to be stunned, sharply dipping my head downwards, slipping my eyes closed as I faked a stumble. I felt the warmth of my brother's shadowy presence near me as he prepared another attack.

 _A little closer,_ I told myself as my heart pounded. _I have to time it just right._

 _Now._ As I felt the sting of bottled-up energy fresh on my skin, I opened my eyes, staring deep into the bright purple core of a Shadow Ball. Trying to keep as calm as possible, I released the Ice Beam that had been building up inside me the whole time.

I saw Darkrai's eyes widen in shock as the Ice Beam crashed into him, and he had no time to react to do anything. The bloodlust in his expression temporarily faded as he stared at me in confusion. Quickly, I took advantage of the situation, following up with a Giga Impact.

I had no time or chance to speak. I just prayed that the look in my eyes was enough of a message.

 _I will... I will_ _ **make you listen!**_

༺ ༻

 _Deep inside his abode that he has carved out for himself in "heaven", the godly being raises its elegant head as it watches the thoughts of the legendary Pokemon of dreams. He does not intervene- "it is not time yet", he thinks._

 _With that, he steals a final but unnecessary glance at the creature before abruptly halting the flow of thoughts that he had been hearing in his mind._

༺ ༻

 _Die! Die!_ _ **Die!**_

I shied away from Darkrai's path of relentless attacks, not daring to meet the frenzied, bloodthirsty hunger in his crimson eyes.

 _Arceus... he's strong. And he's not going to stop. I have a type disadvantage, but if I don't aim to win but instead_ —

Groaning with the effort, I willed all of my psychic energy into one point, feeling shivers and jolts travel up my spine.

Psychic moves normally _wouldn't_ work on Dark types like my brother, but we were created as counterparts. Our moves— if they focused hard enough, that was—did the same damage to each other no matter what, ignoring the laws and principles that Arceus had created.

Magenta exploded into a burst of energy, before forming a shimmering, pulsing shield that defended against the ripples and waves of darkness that threatened to lick at me. My vision blurred and I could feel hot tears rise up in my eyes at the pain. The shield kept up, and started to be stained with a jet black as Darkrai kept up his attacks.

 _Won't you let me share your burden?_ I tried, _tried_ to keep my voice calm, but it was much higher in pitch than usual. _I know I can't beat you. That's why I'm not trying to win; can't you see? I'm trying to—"_

I was cut off by Darkrai's furious reply.

 _You caused all of this. You caused me to have this accursed job, and you threw me into this pit of nightmares and darkness while you lived on to enjoy the light of dreams and the bright sun._ Darkrai's tone was unnervingly cold and harsh, and I couldn't say anything in reply.

Simply because all that he said was _true_.

 _That is why I will win. I will become stronger every second. I will train and better myself for the rest of my life in order to_ _ **destroy**_ _you. Beating you will never suffice._ His pupils shrunk, pale and red and crazed, and a rare smile curved across his face, a thin line that hid eons and years of hatred and torture.

I looked at the intensifying shadows, flickering across the ground, rolling in small waves across the island, seeming to be sucked into Darkrai's smoky body. Dark, stormy grey slowly changed to an inky black. His body sent out waves of heinous warning, a ray of the worst nightmares imaginable as it pushed me back, knocking me onto the cold, hard ground.

 _Why aren't you resisting?_ The condescending tone of his masked the vulnerable confusion well. His voice was like a sheet of strong, cracked yet fragile glass, about to shatter any moment, but still holding up from a vicious cycle that Arceus had created. _I don't want to win a fight when you're not fighting back._

 _I know,_ I replied, focusing all my energy into the shield I had created, not trying to defend myself from the storm of attacks that had seemed to slow down, but instead absorbing in the darkness, turning the defence darker and darker, eventually losing its pale magenta hue and dissolving completely before my eyes.

 _I just want to lift your burden... and take away some of that darkness from you..._

 _You fool,_ Darkrai muttered, sharply striking again without mercy. A Shadow Ball slammed into me at full force, and I felt the sharp, pointed ridges from a rocky surface dig into my back. The hues of black and red that had made up my brother danced dangerously around me in blurred-out shades.

I lifted my head, trembling, magenta eyes glittering with emotion and energy as I stared at my brother's bright red eyes, not faltering at the piercing gaze that swept over me.

 _I've lost this battle. You win this time,_ I muttered, my head dipping in exhaustion, conceding defeat. _But I've managed to repress your nightmares_ — _they're out of the way of harm now_ —

Darkrai finally answered, abruptly interrupting my wavering speech. For a moment, I wondered if it was just an illusion that my half-conscious mind had projected— or if every shadow on the island really _was_ fusing with my brother's body. For a moment, I thought that I saw the red fog over his eyes shielding his vision even more as it grew thicker, hiding underneath the illusion of a clear-minded gaze.

 _It's over for now. I'll be back..._

 _...sister._

He spat the last word coldly before dissolving into a swirling, deadly vortex of shadows that cloaked him as he disappeared.

༺ ༻

 **X3 I hope you enjoyed! What have I done~~~**

 **Read, vote and comment as always, critiques are extremely welcome and now *salutes* Nyx out! :)**

 **(okay I'm gonna stop posting chapters for now because I'm tired. if you want to read the rest (sO far at least, it isn't finished), go read it on Wattpad lmao xDD)**


	4. Chapter 3: Past

_Deep inside his abode that he has carved out for himself in "heaven", the godly being raises its elegant head as it watches the thoughts of the legendary Pokemon of dreams. He does not intervene- "it is not time yet", he thinks._

 _With that, he steals a final but unnecessary glance at the creature before abruptly halting the flow of thoughts that he had been hearing in his mind._

•

I could only look on— my entire body was paralysed with fleeting pain. I closed her eyes, feeling the last reserves of my energy pulse through me in rhythmic, refreshing beats.

 _Take me to Arceus' residence,_ I thought, vision now completely dark.

A spark of pale magenta made a tiny slash in the world of unconsciousness that had trapped me, enlarging to a large rip that caused the inky darkness to melt and crumble to pieces around me, disappearing beneath my wings and body, and opened up to become a realm of pink, purple and occasionally yellow.

And then, the vivid colours that flashed before my eyes fused together into a pure, blinding white, and I felt my head spin and throb, as the light spilled over my shivering form, coursing through each vein like renewed, heavenly energy. My wings found the strength to quiver and move, and a lightheaded, airy feeling engulfed me as I saw a blur of sky-blue and green swiftly pass by.

Grunting, I turned towards the sudden flare of colour, folding my wings and aiming at the center of the small opening. I had to time it just right— any faster and I would risk serious injury; any slower and I might be trapped here forever.

Luckily, I had teleported multiple times before— this was _nothing._

The white swirled around me a final time, the brilliant colour finally fading to nothingness around me as I inspected the dense forest that hung around me, streaks of vivid dark green contrasting against the pale canvas of the sky.

It looked like a regular forest, but each tree was positioned too perfectly, its branches and trunk way too upright, and the flowers were all in full bloom despite being rare, seasonal ones. No, this was simply what Arceus' mind had created— the perfect vision of a forest. It might be a forest today, but it all depended on Arceus' mood whether to change Heaven or not the next day.

I hadn't visited Heaven many times—only when it was absolutely necessary. Otherwise, I preferred to keep to my duties quietly. Still, I had came often enough for me to navigate this otherworldly forest and reach Arceus' lair.

I easily wound her way through the network of trees, and sure enough, a large, well-hidden structure loomed above me. Dappled sunlight cast patterned shadows on the building's walls, as the entire castle seemed to shimmer and change form with every moment. The doors seemingly recognised my presence; slowly sliding open for me to enter.

Golden ridges elaborately spiralled outwards of the smooth white fur that lined his body, and if one looked closer, they could see the fragments of the eighteen different plates that lay underneath the hard, spiny extensions on his back, glittering subtly in a myriad of bright colours under the gentle sunlight. His emerald eyes were cold, but they were bright with wisdom and knowledge.

 _Cresselia. I knew you were headed for Heaven,_ he stated simply, his voice impossibly neutral. Yet, no matter how monotone he was, a sense of warmth flowed through me as he acknowledged my presence. _You do not come here often. What is it that you want?_

 _Lord Arceus._ I bowed her head as a sign of respect, not wanting to anger the Creator. _I come here today with a question_ — _one that has been troubling my mind for quite a few months._

Arceus nodded, and even though I was sure that he _knew_ what I had come here for, he asked the obvious. _What is this pressing problem? I will try my best to answer, although it will not be easy for me._

I took a deep breath, trying to phrase the question as politely as possible. My eyes were filled with a gentle look, yet the thirsty, hidden curiosity for answers behind them was easily noticeable.

A pale pink aura unknowingly curled up around my form in anticipation as my eyes lit up. It would have intimidated even the bravest of Pokemon, but Arceus was no ordinary Pokemon. He was a god, a creature just like the rest of us, but on a whole different level from the rest.

 _I would like to inquire about my past. Do I even have one?_

There was a pause, but Arceus' smooth voice soon broke the silence. _It's because you do not have a past. I created you as an immortal being, which would mean that your life_ — _if it can be called one_ — _stretches from the beginning of the time to the end of this universe._

 _I know that,_ I replied, impatience creeping into my tone. _You've explained that to me before, and I understood. Each day is just a copied repeat of what's going to happen in my life, just with different Pokemon involved._

Arceus nodded, pleased at her deeply-ingrained understanding of the rules of this world. _Then... what is it that you aren't clear about?_

 _I want to be like a regular Pokemon or a human. I'd like to have a past, and I want to know the moments that make up my very life,_ I said, her aura blazing around her in an even brighter fashion. _Is that too much to ask?_

 _I... Yes. It is, Cresselia._ The Creator's voice held a forced amount of formality and estranged iciness. _You have to remember your sole purpose. You aren't allowed to do anything else. You act both as a fellow Pokemon and a concept to others. You... can't do anything about it._

But that slight waver of uncertainty that he had failed to mask was more than enough for me to voice my firm opinion.

 _But anything's possible, isn't it?_ I asked, my voice increasing in pitch. _You created Legendaries with their very own hearts and souls to emphasise with Pokemon and understand them. We're Pokemon like them too. I think that we... we deserve this. To have a proper life, past and future. You can grant it with your power._

 _I think that it's best if you give up that idea._ Arceus' voice was unusually tight. His emerald eyes glinted like two hard, cold stones.

I had now driven him into a corner— a usually impossible feat for any Pokemon. All I had to do was keep on advancing my opinion on him. _You can foresee what happens in the future. You know what's going to happen, right? What I'm going to do? Tell me_ —

 _Cresselia._ The large Pokemon's tone darkened, and I stepped back, slightly fearful. My heart thumped quickly against my chest, and I started to wonder _why_ exactly I had been so bold as to confront the Creator head-on.

 _Yes, I can see everything. I know exactly what you're about to do._ His voice was calm, but I knew from his previous slip-up that he was especially on edge.

And now, in that split-second, I saw images flicker and reflect in his eyes. I could, very literally, see the entire world's fate in hues and streaks of crystal-clear images. And that frightening show had only been a mere _fraction_ of his limitless power.

As quickly as those images had ran through his eyes, they quickly faded. Arceus stared at me, and his voice was quiet but firm. _I will not stop you now, Cresselia. Fate has not permitted me to do so yet._

 _But I will have to intervene sooner or later._

༺ ༻

Teal, azure and white melted into a single, dizzying shade of blue around me, and a cold, nasty gale bit and stung at my wings as I flew. I had no idea of where I _would_ go— it wasn't night yet, and I had already completed all my duties for the day.

I didn't know how far or how long I flew. The sky stretched on endlessly, and I soon lost track of time— my mind was focused on that meeting I had with Arceus, that tight, restrained way he had spoken to me. He _couldn't_ conceal it, no matter how hard he tried to. The Creator was _definitely_ hiding something from me- but, as he said, he wasn't permitted to intervene.

I guess I would find out in due course, but it wasn't something good— that was all I knew. Arceus had seemed so tensewhen he spoke, instead of his usual smooth, emotionless voice.

Eventually, a dull ache spasmed through my crescent-shaped wings— a sign that I had been going on for far too long. I winced at the prickling, cramping feeling that shot through my veins, and forced myself to slow down. The sky separated into its individual hues, and a fresh burst of wind whistled past my body as I lowered myself to the ground.

Blinking away the blurs in my vision that exhaustion had caused, I took a look at my surroundings.

Rugged, cracked mountains extended vertically upwards, a warm, greeting shade of earthy brown, forest-green flourishing and standing out in varying shades of emerald and lime that blended into a watercoloured tone that pleasantly eased my searing eyes.

 _Where am I...?_ That had been the first, obvious question that had sprang into my mind. Hastily, I glanced around, looking for some hopeful indicator of my predicament.

Soon enough, my mind had caught up with the situation and I took a slow, deep breath to calm myself, controlling the overwhelming torrent of sensory information that threatened to gush into me at a speed too fast for me to handle. I concentrated on the first of two major facts that I had gathered about this area.

One, the Pokemon living here. They weren't native to Sinnoh, so I had _definitely_ crossed at least one region. Flygon gazed at me hostilely with from under their red-hued visors, straying far away from me, their large wings raised and stiff. A small herd of Absol glanced at me, keeping a flaming, intense gaze on me, but keeping their distance at the same time, their snowy pelts dappled in the afternoon light. The Linoone were perhaps the boldest of them all, venturing a few feet before me and sniffing the air.

These Pokemon _looked_ like they were from Hoenn, but I couldn't be sure because of that. Some regions like Unova and Kalos now were getting a much wider diversity of Pokemon, and because of that, I couldn't confirm where exactly I was.

The second point, however, was just the touch I needed.

The entire mountainous, forested area was charged with a swirling field of raw, pure energy. An aura that couldn't be mistaken for anything else...

Than a _Legendary._

Just then, a glimpse silken, glossy golden caught my eye, cascading down in two pale, satiny streamers. Twinkling, dusky aqua stared back at me, and a gentle smile hung upon the creature's face. A sweet, musical hum of a voice escaped its lips.

"Welcome to Forina, Cresselia."

༺ ༻

I had to say, Jirachi's home wasn't what I expected.

It wasn't an ethereal, otherworldly galaxy that most of us Legendaries had chosen to reside in, or even a large island that she kept for herself, claiming the constantly fluctuating energy supply for her own. No, the Guardian of Wishes instead lived peacefully among her fellow Pokemon.

Usually, Jirachi _would_ have been asleep— asleep for a million years, but Arceus had decided to lift that hefty burden from the Legendary, deciding that it had done nothing but hinder the world's running.

I ducked my head at the blunt rocks that dipped downwards, decorating the entrance of a large cave hidden away in one of the mountains. Being such a small creature, Jirachi had not expected a larger guest like me to come. Still, I was able to enter without _that_ much difficulty, the cave large enough for me to move around in, but it was a little cramped.

The refined entity bowed her head in apology. _Sorry for the rather lacklustre accommodation,_ she stated ruefully. _I will take note of this for future events. Still, Cresselia, this was rather unexpected._ Her dark eyes glittered in curiosity. _Why did you come here today?_

I bit the corner of my lip unconsciously. _It's... hard to explain,_ I mumbled. _I had a meeting with Arceus this morning, and I think that something is going to happen. Something bad._

 _Oh?_ Jirachi's voice seemed impartial, but it hid a deeper underlying tone, as if imploring me to elaborate further.

Hesitating, the events and instances that had all piled up over the past hours spilled out, one after another. I struggled to phrase my sentences smoothly, and despite _knowing_ that what I was saying was nothing but incoherent jargon, something in my mind prevented me from stopping even once. Darkrai's appearance. Our brief— but fervid—battle, the questions that built in my mind, my unexpected meeting with the Creator himself, the way I saw the entire world in his eyes— _everything._ I left no detail out; no minuscule sentence untouched.

 _I just want to know..._ I lifted my gaze to meet Jirachi's. _I'm a legendary. I have no other purpose other than to protect the dreams of Pokemon. I have no past, present or future. Does that mean that I'm not like one of_ _them?_ I shifted my eyes to two young Zigzagoon that frolicked a short distance outside. _A Pokemon?_

 _That's what Arceus said, anyway. I just wanted to know what you think._ I was now embarrassed. No Legendary would abandon their home region just to go visit another, just to ask such a simple question? Maybe I _was_ losing my mind. Like what Arceus said, it would be best if I just stopped thinking about it, wouldn't it?

— _you're wrong._ Jirachi's rich voice snapped me out of my trancelike state, and she looked up at me with a firm expression. As if knowing that I didn't listen, she repeated her statement once again. _I said, I think you're wrong._

 _What?_ My voice was low, but didn't convey any threat.

 _So what if you don't have a past? So what if Arceus says that you're not a true Pokemon?_ Jirachi's wish tags sparkled in a nebula of blue and indigo, a complicated network of stars and constellations seeming to map out on those small, slim pieces of thin material. _That doesn't mean you're not alive. You have a heart and soul, just like us._

I stared at her. Those large eyes held so much wisdom despite their seemingly childish wisdom. The eloquent manner in which the dainty Pokemon spoke made me want to believe her, _badly,_ but at the same time, I still couldn't accept her words.

 _I know what we learnt, trust me,_ Jirachi sighed. _But not everything's cast in stone, Cresselia. I mean..._ She waved a short arm at me. _Look at yourself. Beings like yourself at me._

I unconsciously felt a pulse of loose psychic energy shoot against the wall of my gem, causing a zip of pain to rush through my head.

 _Can you say with certainty that this is all fake just because we're immortal?_

Suddenly, an urge to rebel; to say _anything_ to contradict that statement sparked inside me, and I snapped back a sudden, hostile reply.

 _Look. I understand what you think,_ I retaliated. _But we do the same thing every day. The same things, at the same times, in the same way. Only the location and the Pokemon and humans we protect are different. How is that being "alive"? Do you think that this endless, heinous cycle is destined to be Legendaries' lives? Because if that's what you think, then..._

 _I'd much rather be dead._

My outburst had caused Jirachi to move back slowly, and I sucked in a fresh, deep breath of cold air, calming myself down. I huffed, both in a final act of indignation and in apology. _I'm sorry._

 _It's fine,_ Jirachi soothed, her voice lulling me to a placid tranquilness. _I get what you mean. All I do is grant the wishes of others_ — _well, when I'm allowed to do so, that is. I've never really felt a difference, no matter what Pokemon or human I'm granting it for._

I felt myself nodding along unconsciously, but at the same time, I tried to pay attention to what my companion wanted to say. _But what I'm trying to tell you is that we aren't any less of Pokemon. We live in this world as Pokemon. We were created to be Pokemon._

No, we weren't. We were created to be chess pieces and tools in this world.

I abruptly changed the topic, not wanting to linger on this bitter subject any longer. I felt a small bolt of magenta light burst forward, and Jirachi instantly negated that attack with her own, tensing up and inching backwards. _Say. How powerful do you think wishes are?_

Jirachi looked at me, her gaze steady. Yet, her answer was ambiguous.

 _I don't know,_ she stated with a hint of embarrassment. _Wishes were made to fulfil the impossible, so there rightly should be no limit to their energy, but I doubt even Arceus could do that._

 _Then..._ my voice shook as I spoke. The onyx eyes of a young Zigzagoon stared at me in curiosity, another backing away in fear until I had realised a shimmering orb of my power had appeared in the air against my will. Quickly crushing it, I continued. _As a friend, I'm asking you to help me with this favour, Jirachi._

 _Grant me a wish that will give me_ — _me and my brother_ — _a past._


End file.
